You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2009.
Several months ago I saw that there was a large and prestigious horse show in Devon. I put it in a brain cell waiting for it to come around and take Cat to. We had a great time and got to see some amazing horses and riders on Memorial Day. If you don’t know, the Devon Horse Show started in 1896 “as a one-day show. Now, years later, it has become the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States. It is internationally recognized, USEF-A rated, and one of the most exciting events to happen in our area. Top riders from all over the world will compete at Devon.”
In addition to the show, there was a “country fair.” Cat and I walked around and saw amazing (expensive) tack: boots, saddles, etc. Oddly, there were also a number of jewelry vendors; that’s what I go to a horse show for! People must buy jewelry there though, so whatever floats their boat. There were also tables for horse rescues, farm sign makers, and food vendors. It really was an amazing show. Cat and I never have been to a show at that level. Cat was particularly thrilled to be able to watch instead of compete. She had a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy the competitors.
Even a novice who doesn’t really know what to look for could tell that some of these riders are among the elite in the country. I was particularly amazed by Scott Stewart. It turns out that he faired will in Devon in prior years and was the man to watch. And a quick google search showed this man is indeed a top competitor:
Of course, the riders are only half of the equation and Cat loved to see these well-bred horses. They were beautiful. We all have our favorites and Cat particularly likes the ones with black legs and brown bodies from an aesthetic standpoint. For me, it was hard to tell them apart aside from color and their size since all of the horses were extremely fit.
I don’t think this will be the last time that we go to the Devon Horse Show, but next time we’ll bring sunscreen and sunglasses though!
Cat and I have been working on a goat farm for a couple of weeks now. We have found it to be a lot of fun and a good learning experience. We’ve been handsomely rewarded with a steady flow of organic eggs, goats milk, cheese, and other random perks. Cat has been able to spend some time with the horses she has, which has been really rewarding for her. I’ve been really thankful that Cat has the opportunity to ride and spend time with horses.
But this story is about a rooster, not a horse. Hearing that the remaining roosters were going to the auction on Tuesday, I made it known that if given the opportunity, I wouldn’t mind making chicken noodle soup out of one of them. So long as I could catch it, it was mine to eat.
So Jan pointed out the biggest rooster and I went after it. I got in slow and then quickly sped up. Lo and behold, rooster can run! It was on… I did this technique to no avail. I then tried to corral him into the buildings and catch him. He got out of the coop before Cat could shut the front door but Jan cornered him in the barn and I got a hold of him when he tried to slip out underneath.
After catching him, we bagged him, and I was ready to take my prize home to bleed him out, boil, pluck, cook, and eat him. I suppose I was thinking, however, about Cat’s sensitivities when it comes to animals particularly ones that she can see living.
With that said, I subsequently let the rooster go after some brief pleading. I now have a deal with a friend of mine that if he convinces his better half to get a motorcycle that I can eat a rooster that I catch!
Ironically, Cat and I were invited over to my mom’s house for a cookout. We had a lot of fun. Ate a lot. Played some wii with my brothers and did some bonding with mom particularly while looking at the mother’s day pictures in the newspaper.
On our 8 month anniversary, after drywalling one of our bedrooms (romantic I know), I took my now officially recovered vegetarian wife to the world’s largest chicken barbecue. Aside from being the world’s largest chicken barbecue, reason enough to go in the first place, it’s a big event for Lancaster. Since Cat is a transplant, I’ve been very eager to show her the big or important events, people, and organizations in our community.
It was held at Long’s Park. Which, as you may know, has some odd parking and I have the distinction of being the only person that Cat saw in our entire time there decide to turn left when signage and the better half explicitly noted that I wasn’t authorized to do so to get a nice parking spot.
Our meal wasn’t just chicken – tea, chips, ice cream, and a roll also. We ate by the duck pond and were close enough to the WJTL stage, the local Christian radio station, to over hear the bands they had playing. After leisurely eating dinner, we headed for home.
At a chance meeting at the train station, Cat and I connected with a state worker who has a fair number of goats, a cow, chickens, and a couple of horses. We have since offered to help in exchange for eggs, goat cheese, and soap.
We are heading over tonight supposing Cat’s health – she’s a little sick – and the weather holds to exercise the horses, Cat’s favorite chore. We’re also learning to milk the goats in addition to exercising the horses and some generic labor.
We’ve gone through a dozen eggs already but still have plenty of soap made from goats milk.
On May 1st, Cat and I along with Mom, Tim, Uncle Brian, Aunt Kitty, Uncle Terry, and Aunt Marie went to Tyler’s first cello concert. The Weeks’ fam couldn’t make it since Lindsay was at work 
.
It was a great concert though! Tyler played great along with the rest of the 3rd grade orchestra. They were up first, must have been scary!, and played three songs. The 4th grade orchestra, 5th grade orchestra, and the elementary’s school chorus were also in the concert at the Ephrata Middle School.
On April 26th, Madelyn celebrated her birthday, which is really the following day. Cat and Lindsay had made a Hannah Montana cake the previous day, which tasted delicious and otherwise, Lindsay hosted a very nice party.
Everyone had a lot of fun particularly the birthday girl who was spoiled with all kinds of presents!
Cat and I have become reliable Jeopardy! junkies all but using mock buzzers and hoping for contestants to which we have connections to as we root for our favorite player.
There are two developments here: first, that we have desperately been trying to win a trip to the Galapagos with Alex Trebec. I don’t know when the winner is announced but hopefully Alex heard our impassioned please to go over through the television screen.
Second, a coworker of mine was on the show, Justin Klos. Usually, I am just happy to root for a fellow Pennsylvanian but someone who used to work just down the hall and now down the hall and five floors up is a different matter altogether.
Justin had temporarily supplanted Cat and I’s multi-night favorite, Liz Murphy, a foreign service officer who was born in Scranton and spent her formative years in Dunmore borough. Amazingly, you can get a glimpse of someone’s personality between their short biographical tidbits after commercial breaks and how they say “who is _______” throughout the game. Cat and I thought she was clearly witty and fun if not a little eccentric like us!
Fortunately, her self-admitted gaffe offering her support for the NY Yankees when Alex had asked whether she, like Justin Klos, was a Pittsburgh Steeler’s fan made the decision to support Justin a little easier for that one night. Ultimately, Justin lost to Liz by a dollar.
